both meat and drink to me, and its
sweet notes comforted my lately inconsolable bowels. I put myself in
marching and soldier-like attitude; and, with my hands stuck close to my
leathers, my fingers directed towards the earth, chin elevated, toes
pointed, thus I stepped off with the left leg, keeping time with the
tune, until I arrived at the toll-gate, about a quarter of a mile from
the town. Here I could not help halting, to look back on the little
place of my birth, the scene of my boyhood, and many a sportive hour. I
found the tear trickling down my cheek. It was near the grave of my fond
mother, too. I hesitated, for some time, whether to proceed or return;
but my master's dreadful threat rushed upon my mind in all its terror,
and this impelled me onwards; and I again joined the followers, men and
boys, girls and dogs. I was but a child, but I was a child cast upon the
world, parentless, and in the hands of a cruel master. I could not
believe it possible to be worse off, and therefore continued my march
towards Yarmouth, without a mouthful of bread to eat, or a penny in my
pocket. I knew not a soul in the place to which I was going; but my
truant disposition took a hop, step, and jump over all difficulties.

My worldly effects consisted of a hat, which had once been round, but
which, from my continually turning and twisting it into the shape of
cocked-hats, road-hats, soldiers' caps, &c., was now any shape you
wished; a little fustian jacket; waistcoat of the same material; a
coarse shirt, which, from a violent shaking fit, was completely in rags;
a pair of leathers, intolerably fat and greasy; ribbed worsted
stockings; and a thwacking pair of high-lows, nailed from heel to toe.
These, with a little stick, were my only incumbrances, save a gloomy
prospect. I was bitterly hungry, and sadly tired; but on I went until we
arrived within a mile of Beccles, some sixteen miles from home. Here
some of the soldiers branched off to their quarters in the vicinity of
the town; but I followed the greater body, as the more probable means of
getting something to eat. The band now again struck up, "Over the hills,
and far away." I marched at the head, but began to find that my poor
craving stomach could no longer feed upon delicious melody; so I now
made up my mind to accost the colonel, and ask him if he could not
enlist me for a soldier. The colonel seemed a kind-hearted man; so, as
modesty on my part was now quite out of the ques